Hong Kong Customs highly concerned about alleged unfair trade practices by beauty company
Hong Kong Customs has recently mounted an enforcement operation to combat alleged unfair trade practices by a beauty company and launched an investigation into a retailer suspected of engaging in aggressive commercial practices in the course of selling skincare products and beauty devices, in apparent contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).
Hong Kong Customs, Photo source: reference image
Customs officers earlier received six reports alleging that a retailer was suspiciously imposing undue influence and using aggressive commercial practices to force consumers to make transactional decisions in the commercial process and business operation of selling beauty products and beauty devices. The amounts involved ranged from $1,800 to $100,000. Customs officers visited the registered address of the company involved today (August 18) to conduct an investigation and gather evidence.
Customs attaches great importance to the cases. The investigation is ongoing and arrests are not ruled out. The department also appeals to consumers who have encountered the aforementioned suspected unfair trade practices to contact Customs as soon as possible.
The beauty company under suspicion, Photo source: threads image
Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO and urges consumers to procure services or products at reputable shops. Before making any purchase decision, consumers should remain calm. Consumers should firmly refuse to sign any sales documents or make payments if they do not clearly know the content and prices of the products, or have no intention of purchasing the products.
Under the TDO, any trader commits an offence of engaging in aggressive commercial practices if harassment, coercion or undue influence is used to impair a consumer's freedom of choice or conduct, causing the consumer to make a transactional decision. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
Customs has always attached great importance to consumer rights protection and has zero tolerance for unfair trade practices, pledging to continue its stringent enforcement action against unscrupulous traders.
Members of the public may report any suspected violation of the TDO to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account(crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
The beauty company under suspicion, Photo source: threads image
CFS urges public not to consume batch of imported spread product suspected to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (August 18) urged the public not to consume a batch of spread product imported from France due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The trade should stop using or selling the affected batch of the product immediately if they possess it.
The Centre for Food Safety, Photo source: reference image
Product details are as follows:
Product name: Ktipiti Extra Red Pepper & Feta Cheese Spread
Brand: L'atelier Blini
Place of origin: France
Net weight: 175 grams
Batch number: 12262661
Use-by date: August 30, 2026
Importer: City Super Limited
Ktipiti Extra Red Pepper & Feta Cheese Spread, Photo source: online image
"The CFS, through its Food Incident Surveillance System, noted a notification from the Rappel Conso of France that the above-mentioned product is being recalled as it might be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes due to suspected issue with the cold chain. Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately contacted local importers to follow up. A preliminary investigation found that the above-mentioned importer had imported into Hong Kong the affected batch of the product concerned," a spokesman for the CFS said.
As a precautionary measure, the importer concerned has stopped sales and removed from shelves the affected batch of the product and has initiated a recall according to the CFS's instructions. Members of the public may call the importer's hotline at 2736 3866 during office hours for enquiries about the recall.
"Listeria monocytogenes can be easily destroyed by cooking but can survive and multiply at refrigerator temperatures. Most healthy individuals do not develop symptoms or only have mild symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, headache, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea when infected. However, severe complications such as septicaemia, meningitis or even death may occur in newborns, the elderly and those with a weaker immune system. Although infected pregnant women may just experience mild symptoms generally, the infection of Listeria monocytogenes may cause miscarriage, infant death, preterm birth, or severe infection in newborns," the spokesman added.
"In order to reduce the risk of listeriosis, susceptible populations such as pregnant women should consume freshly prepared hot food where possible, reheat chilled food until it is hot all the way through, and avoid high-risk foods, including ready-to-eat food such as cold cuts, cold smoked seafood, soft cheeses, salads, etc, or cook them thoroughly before consumption, even if they are presented as part of a dish."
The spokesman advised members of the public to stop consuming the affected batch of the product and seek medical treatment if they feel unwell after consuming the product concerned.
The CFS has contacted the French authority over the incident and will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health. The investigation is ongoing.
Spread product, Photo source: online image
